Tea, Tales, and Tomes
At Tea, Tales, and Tomes we are living our favourite lives talking books and drinking hot beverages. So grab your cuppa and join us in this gentle corner of the audio world - a community of readers, raising readers.
Join us fortnightly, on a Wednesday, for all the wonder of kids books shelves that adults will also find delight in. I will give you hints and tips on how to raise bookdragons and provide you will tons of great book recommendations that are long-lasting shelf occupiers.
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Tea, Tales, and Tomes
Creating a Home Book Club Culture: No Homework Required
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Remember the dreaded book report? That school assignment that magically transforms the wonder of reading into a tedious chore? As parents and caregivers, we desperately want our children to fall in love with books, but sometimes our well-intentioned efforts to discuss their reading can feel suspiciously like homework.
During our recent winter holidays, I discovered a different path—creating a "book club culture" at home that makes reading communal, exciting, and deeply personal. This episode unveils how simple rituals like blanket picnics with stories, one-on-one coffee dates, and creative documentation methods can transform how your family experiences books.
Contrary to what you might think, I don't have perfect little book dragons who spend their days begging for more reading assignments! My children are typical kids who'd rather play video games than analyze symbolism. But when I shifted away from school-style interrogations toward natural conversations over hot chocolate and treats, something magical happened—the books became part of our shared language, our family stories, and our way of processing the world together.
The science backs this up too. When children discuss books in relaxed, natural settings, they experience enhanced language development, improved emotional regulation, strengthened neural connections, and increased empathy—all while strengthening family bonds through the release of oxytocin, the attachment hormone.
From creating "Book Report Envelope Accordions" that balance light questioning with creative expression to designing reading challenges with prompts like "read a book with a red cover," I'll share practical, tested approaches that have worked wonders in our home. These methods build critical thinking skills and emotional literacy without ever feeling like work.
Ready to create a home where books aren't just read but lived in? Subscribe now, and let's build reading families together—one cup of tea and one story at a time.
Some websites I mention in this episode:
Find us on Instagram @teatalesandtomes and don't forget to join us next time for more bookish wonder.
Podcast music by Lundstroem (Episode 1 onwards) and Audionautix (TTAT Trailer). Podcast edited by Timothy Wiggill.
Hello bookish friends. This is Natasha and you're listening to Tea Tales and Tomes, where we are living our favorite lives talking books and drinking hot beverages. So grab your cuppa and let's talk books. Before we dive into today's episode, I have the sweetest news to share A huge congratulations to my podcast editor, timothy Wiggle, and his lovely wife, santishka, on the birth of their beautiful baby girl, mira. We're so thrilled to welcome her into the Tea Tales and Tomes family. I personally can't wait to share my favorite baby books with this little milk guzzler. And bookish friends, speaking of babies, if you've just welcomed a little one or know someone who has, don't forget to check out episodes one through three. I talk all about curating shelves in that first year, reading to infants and using books to build beautiful bonds with our tiny humans. Have you grabbed your hot drink yet? Let's get into today's episode.
Speaker 1:So we're just coming off the back of our July or winter holidays here in South Africa, which, if your kids attend traditional schools, for us meant about three glorious weeks of no packed schedules, just plenty of time for adventure sleeping in, chilling out and doing anything we wanted, without worrying about homework, sports, those music exams or swimming lessons. So this year we decided to theme our holiday a time for science, and it was a blast. We did experiments, we visited local museums and parks, baked up a storm because baking is a science right and, of course, read a ton of books. If you're curious, check out episodes 9 and 10, which inspired our science full break. And don't forget to subscribe, because we have lined up an episode all about the best science narratives that will get your little one thinking like Einstein. But I digress Back to the halls and the coolest bookish thing.
Speaker 1:So my eldest, Kai, his eight, was asked by his amazing teacher, ms Glock, to send a photo of himself reading during the break. Why? Because she themed the current school term the magic of books. She wants to line the classroom walls with photos of all her kids reading. How brilliant is that. So Ms Glock is the real deal bookish friends. She's already filled the kids' minds with wonderful stories, not only of her travels she just got back this year from Egypt and then Turkey but also amazing reads. So Kai told me that she started reading the Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton in class and he was so into it that he asked me for my treasured copy so that he could finish it at home that he asked me for my treasured copy so that he could finish it at home. Now, full honesty, we kind of forgot about sending the photo until the very last minute, but one thing we did do during the holidays was document our reading in the most fun way, and that's what brings me to today's episode.
Speaker 1:So this episode is all about creating a book club culture at home and documenting books we read in surprisingly awesome ways to show our children that books and reading goes beyond their red bricked walls of a classroom. I guess you're picturing something that sounds hella, boring, suspiciously like schoolwork, and wondering if I, natasha, am just sugarcoating homework with an Earl Grey-centered podcast episode. Or maybe you think I've got two perfect little book dragons who spend all day reading, writing and begging for more homework. Right Wrong, the truth is, you couldn't be further off. So last year we joined the Jonathan Ball Publishers Kids Book Club and it was a wonderful experience in theory Free books to read and opportunities for the kids to share their thoughts. But here's the thing If my kids didn't like a particular book, getting them to read it, let alone review, it was like pulling teeth, a complete nightmare for me, because we had an obligation to post a review, but sometimes they were just not into it and, honestly, I couldn't bring myself to fake enthusiasm for books that were sometimes at best average and at worst DNF territory. That's did not finish in book speak. So no, my kids aren't just lounging around and discussing symbolism in middle grade fiction while skipping happily past the PlayStation. Come on, guys, they're typical kids and I get it.
Speaker 1:Book reviews and book clubs don't exactly scream fun. Even as an adult who lives for books, I hate school-style book reviews. You know the ones. What's the theme of the story? Summarize the plot? Tell me what this meant. What was the author trying to say? Ugh, those questions always make me want to throw the book across the room, not talk about it or my experience reading it. They feel like an interrogation, and that is not what reading should ever feel like.
Speaker 1:But that doesn't mean I don't love talking about books. In fact, my favorite book chats have happened over coffee with friends, and I'm sure that this is the case for you as well, when you know you're sitting there a lovely drink in hand. Sometimes it may be friends, sometimes it may be strangers. The conversation just flows naturally. What are you reading right now? Oh wait, you've got to read this book I just finished. It's informal, it's energizing and it's real. And that is what I want to unpack in this episode. How can we make book clubs and book reviews feel less like homework and more like connection, more play, less pressure, more spark, less structure? Because when it's done right, the magic of book talk is undeniable for kids and grown-ups alike. After this episode, you're going to be so inspired to create a book club culture at home, one that works for your family, suits your child's personality and makes reading even more magical. If you have reluctant readers, this might even turn the tide on that too.
Speaker 1:So first let's get into. Why should we even bother with doing this? If your kids are reading, that's fine, they're reading right. Let's just leave it at that. Why poke the bear? Because, if I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times Reading isn't just about decoding words on a page. It's about connection, imagination and conversation. When we create space to talk about books, whether with toddlers, with tweens or teens, we give our children tools to process big emotions, see different perspectives and build their own ideas. Okay, so I hear you, natasha. They do this at school, right? Why should we bother doing it at home. A book club culture at home doesn't mean formal meetings or assigned reading. It's about creating regular opportunities to read together or alongside each other and then chat about it over tea, on a car ride, while baking cookies. It shows your kids that books aren't just for school, they're for life. I'm going to say that again when we create a book club culture at home, it shows our children that books are meant to be cherished, that books aren't just for school, they're for life.
Speaker 1:It's about those moments when you pop into a cafe and see scones and your kids immediately think about the famous five mysteries that they just read, which centered baking scones by the main characters, buying the scones and enjoying the treat while talking about the story or mysteries in real life or not talking at all. It's about when our kids have difficulty making friends and then reminding them about Hyacinth from the Vanderbeekers by Karina Jan Glazer, also learning to find strength in her introversion and seeing it as a superpower. It's about comforting a friend who has lost his dad, remembering that we are all connected to everyone we love by invisible strings, even if we can't physically see that person anymore, just like in Patrice Koss' amazing book, the Invisible String. In all those moments, bookish friends, you are crossing the barrier from being a parent and entering your child's world, dwelling in that world for a little while and getting a wonderful glimpse into their hearts and minds. So that's why this is important. That's why that book club culture at home is so much more than just did you read that book? So here's the Cliff Notes version, without all my bookish references and my emotive reasoning.
Speaker 1:That book club culture is going to strengthen bonds, because shared stories equals shared memories. Reading together or just chatting about books releases oxytocin, the same hormone linked to trust and attachment. That means reading together and talking about books can literally make you feel closer as a family. It's also going to boost your child's comprehension, because talking about books helps kids understand and retain what they've read. Studies have shown that when children talk about the books that they've read, it strengthens both language development and emotional regulation. The conversations we have about characters, problems and endings help build neural connections and vocabulary, even more so when books are discussed naturally rather than in structured, test-like formats. It also is going to help to grow empathy, because they are walking in someone else's shoes while they read the story and then, when they chat to us. We're helping them to relate this to real life situations, real life people. How amazing is that a home book club culture will help with encouraging critical thinking, because even the youngest kids can have big ideas when we ask the right questions. We're going to take a little break and when we come back I am going to talk about how exactly do we build this book club culture at home without it seeming like school, without it seeming forced and without it being one more thing for us to do as parents when we already have a million things on our to-do list. Okay, welcome back, bookish friends.
Speaker 1:So I touched briefly about building a book club culture at home and why it's important, and maybe a little bit on how to do it. You know, do it over tea, do it over coffee, over scones, etc. But what would this actually look like? Firstly, I'm not talking about rigid schedules and intense literary debates Unless, of course, that's your vibe. Then you know what you go for it. I'm not here to judge. What I mean for me is creating a space, a rhythm and a mindset where books aren't just read, but shared, felt and talked about.
Speaker 1:Your aim here strike that. Our aim here is to make reading communal, almost so. All humans want connection, and this is especially so for children of all ages, even those grumpy, hormonal teens. When we create a cozy book club culture, it is such a powerful way to bring people together, especially if it is a bucket filling exercise and not one that is bucket emptying. So, first up, let's just talk about the quickest and easiest way you can do it no planning, low effort, All the gains, none of the drama.
Speaker 1:I've done this so many times, especially in those times, which happen very often, when life gets really hectic or really heavy or filled with those zesty lemons and I start to feel like we're all at each other's throats and everything and everyone is full of rough edges and there's a bit of distance among us. What I do then is firstly center myself, take a few deep breaths, and then I'll rummage in the cupboard and get a bunch of biscuits, make some hot chocolates or some tea or some coffee, grab a book or a bunch of books, lay out a blanket on the lounge carpet with all these goodies and just start reading aloud. I kid you, not as simple as that. Just a bit of a rummage, a bit of a hot beverage, and I'm on the carpet Before I know it, the kids are next to me, first one, then the other, eating and drinking and listening to me read the books. After a while we are all in a beautiful bubble of words and connection and those rough edges have gone. They feel so much softer.
Speaker 1:If I have more time and if I feel up to it baking is, after all, my happy place I might bake some crunchies or brownies, and you will watch how the smell of the baked goodies is going to bring everyone out of their miserable attitudes. Lay it out Again hot beverages. Start a book. This is the perfect time for me and my family to actually start a chapter book, because usually after baking I feel very fulfilled. So then I'll be like okay, you know, I'm gonna start a new chapter book, and starting it means that they're now interested, especially if it's a really great one. And we will get and get to an episode where I talk about the best chapter books for kids of all ages. And if you have no time, just pop on. I tell you treats and books and mom on the floor. Reading is always a winner.
Speaker 1:It's so strange. I will be all alone one minute reading to an empty room and then suddenly everyone is huddled next to me like moths to a flame, and if that's not magic, I don't know what is. So that's the easiest way. If you want something more planned, more regular, here are a few other things you can do, and these are all things that I have tried and I have tested and they have worked. So trust me when I say that nothing I mention here is going to create drama in your life. And if you do try something and it doesn't work, give it a miss and move on to one of my other recommendations and you're going to see how easy it is to create this book club culture, to start documenting your books. It's been really an amazing experience for me, going from somebody who felt like this is not something that I can do to now being able to do it so easily, so organically, that it doesn't feel strange anymore. Oh right, which brings me to another point which I remembered that I needed to mention is that it will feel strange if you've never done this, Just like if you are somebody who has never read a book out loud. It feels strange the first 10 times you do it. It feels like you are performing. It feels like you are putting on a show. It feels like you are doing something. That's not who you are and you're going to feel like an imposter. But give it some time and it's going to feel like the most natural thing and your kids are just going to love it. They will love it, okay. So here let's go on to now.
Speaker 1:The more planned, the more regular, scheduled kind of things Still not schoolish. So make it a ritual. Pick a day off the week, or even just pick a day off the month. If a weekly thing is too much, do it monthly, when everyone will curl up with a snack and chat about a book, whether it's one that you've read together, where all of you have read together, or different ones you've enjoyed. Mark it on the calendar and keep it light and fun, so that it is something that everyone is looking forward to, not something that's going to be super cringy. Something that you can also do to make it super special is to go on a coffee date with your child to talk about the books that they've read. So this can also be part of those rituals. So find a ritual that will work in your family.
Speaker 1:So for me, I don't do very well with schedule, so it's very difficult for me to say every Friday, I'm going to do this with Kai or with Jazz, or we're going to do this as a family. And if I don't do it, I'm going to feel like a bad mom. I will never, ever say I'm going to meet you every Friday and we're going to talk and we're going to have a coffee date. So what works for me is, if there's ever a time and there often will be, there'll be at least two or three times in the month where, if I'm picking up Kai from school, we will have a little bit of time. We will literally pop over to a nearby coffee shop and I'll just casually mention a book as we're walking there and grabbing our hot drinks. I'll mention a book that I am reading and what I think about it. So I'll be like oh you know, I just started this book and it's called Everything You'll Ever Need Is In the Library. This is an actual story. And I'll be like you know, it's really slow and I'm not sure whether I'm going to carry on reading it.
Speaker 1:And then Kai will then ask me a hundred questions about the book why am I saying this? What is it about? And we'll start talking about it. And then, suddenly, we start talking about something that he has read recently or is currently reading, or that we have read together, and I'll talk about what I felt about it or what he felt about it, and I tell you it's just amazing, it it or what he felt about it. And I tell you it's just amazing, it's so natural. I'm pretty sure that, even if I do sneak in some of those bookish questions that I kind of want to get in his mind and get embedded in his mind, which I'm going to talk about later on in this podcast things that make your little reader a better reader when they're actually reading those books, things that make your little reader a better reader when they're actually reading those books, things that they're going to start to look at or look for when they're reading a book. But I'm going to come to that Sorry, I'm jumping all over the place because this makes me so excited. I tell you we did this.
Speaker 1:We do this quite often because, like I said, sometimes we will have that little bit of time and a little bit of extra cash to just go down to the coffee shop. And it's so nice because, in addition to us talking about the books, this is when Kyle will open up about something that happened at school, because it may tangentially relate to something that we are talking about or an interesting idea that he has had. And then I get to be so immersed in this conversation, in his ideas, that it really is an amazing bonding experience that, even though in a way I've kind of contrived that it's going to happen, because I know that when I picked him up I'm going to have this coffee date and I think at this stage, because it's happened often enough, that he knows it's going to happen too. But we both love it, you know, we know it's not school, we know we enjoy it and we're also getting to spend that time together. Now with Jazz, we also have those times where it's just us, just Jazz and I, one-on-one time. I will always have my tablet with me because for Jazz, he's much younger than Kai Well, two years younger than Kai and I find that, as much as he would love to just talk about books, he really needs to be able to show me the book as he's talking. So I'll have my tablet there so that we can quickly do that. We can go and have a look at the book and have a look at the book covers or have a look at something interesting, an interesting fact that he found out in the book. So it may be different for different age groups.
Speaker 1:You know for your older teens that coffee club date with mom and dad alone will be so special and it will be way more than a book club chat, because your teen is going to feel seen by you. Firstly, because you are showing an interest in something that they read. But you're also not just interrogating them. You're also sharing something from you. You're sharing something you read or something that happened to you that you're relating to a book. So it has to be a two-way thing. It can't be you coming in there as a teacher saying, okay, so tell me about this book, tell me what the themes were, tell me who you thought was your favorite character and why. You know you're coming in there as a friend, you're coming in there as a fellow book connoisseur, and that is where the magic lies. That is where the magic of a home book club culture lies. All right, so let's move on from that one.
Speaker 1:Another one, number two make it a challenge. So if you have kids that enjoy challenges and competitions, this is an excellent way to get them to read more. So at the start of the year or of a long school break, sit with your kids and set out a bookish challenge, involve them in it so that they really take ownership of it, but guide the process so that it is meaningful to them and to you. So the challenge could be around number of books, or it could be the number of books as well as the diversity of books, with you suggesting some of the books that they read. And this is also a really great way for you to get your kids reading a little bit different to what they normally read. And if you've got competitive kids who enjoy a challenge, they're going to read those other books and in that way you are opening their mind to this wonderful world of books, which sometimes our kids can have serious blinkers on about what they like.
Speaker 1:Nope, I am only going to read Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Oh, I will only read Harry Potter. But they are amazing and better books out there. But if we do recommend those books, they're not going to touch that book with a 10-foot pole.
Speaker 1:So a challenge like this, with you suggesting one or two books out of the bigger set of books, is really great and there could be a prize at the end of it, like a trip to a favorite hangout spot, doing a fun activity together, visiting a bookshop or having a coffee date or something relevant to your family, but not too extravagant. And there can even be mini prizes, depending on how long the challenge is, so that you can keep the momentum going. So I never do annual challenges with my kids because I personally find it too overwhelming. So instead I focus on either a term challenge, sometimes even just a weekend challenge With my littlest it can even be a day challenge. Okay, you're going to read these three books out loud and then, if you do finish, we're going to have a bubble bath at the end. So I hope you can see how flexible your challenge can be and how you can tailor it to the needs and wants of your family, of your little home book club. In a short bit I'll go a little bit more into this tailoring.
Speaker 1:But let's move to the next step in creating a book club culture at home. I think we're on to number three. I need to be better with keeping track of my numbering, but I know you'll forgive me because book people really are the best people. So let's call it number three. And number three is all about respect. Make space for every single opinion. Whether your six-year-old says that a book was boring or your tween thinks that the villain was actually the hero, just lean into it with curiosity and a genuine willingness to understand and engage. Just celebrate that they actually have a perspective and that they're sharing this with you. You know we're going to find that our minds are blown by their insights and their wisdom, and they have been dwelling in these literary worlds. So when they're talking to us about it, you know we get a little bit of a sneak peek into this, as well as into the hearts of the characters that become almost tangible to them, as well as into their hearts. And this is true whether your kid is reading a picture book like the Pandas who Promised by Rachel Bright or the epic Lord of the Rings trilogy. They'll have opinions. Just go along for the ride.
Speaker 1:So, lastly, when creating a book club culture at home, documenting some of that journey is going to elevate the entire experience, if done correctly. Wait, wait, I know you're like documenting sounds like book reviews, but just hear me out. How can we do this in a way that doesn't make it feel like we are giving them more homework. Like I mentioned right at the beginning of this episode, this is what I did over these July holidays and it was really a wonderful experience. But let's just talk about how can we do this in the simplest way, Simply take pictures or selfies when you go on those one-on-one dates or have those little lounge carpet picnics, and if you can print those pictures and place them around your bookshelves or around your home so that those times are always remembered as special and that your kids will want to do more of them. That's the simplest way to document it.
Speaker 1:Another thing that you can do if you are doing the reading challenges is to document those in a really fun and simple way, and there really are so many amazing ways to do this, like, for example, draw a snaking path or a row divided into segments with a start and an end, almost like a bookish board game, and each segment has a prompt for a book to read. So, as the books are read, the segment is colored in until you reach the destination, which could be whatever the reward for finishing the challenge is. So, if a snaking path seems too onerous, a very simple book list with prompts, with boxes to check off. For some reason, us humans we love checking things off a list. It's one of our weird traits. So, yeah, just a simple list with boxes to check off as your kid finishes your challenge.
Speaker 1:Those book prompts that I've mentioned now can be tailored to your kid's ages or what you want them to read, but they just have to be fun. I think, as you're preparing these kinds of things, you just have to keep in the back of your mind is this fun or am I now going into homeschooling territory? Just keep it super simple. Every time you feel a little bit of overwhelm, just remember you're overthinking it. So I'm going to give you a few examples of prompts, but if you want more, just drop me a note or just go onto Google. There'll be tons there. Take what works for you and chuck the rest. So some of the ones that we've used, which you're going to see on the blog post read a book with a red cover.
Speaker 1:Read a book that is nonfiction. Read a book that you think looks boring. Read a book that mom or dad read when they were little. Read a book with a number in the title. Read a book that mom or dad read when they were little. Read a book with a number in the title. Read a book that has a title. That's only one word. I can go on and on, so you can see here it's not saying read JK Rowling. It's not saying finish 20,000 books over the school year. It's actually just making it fun. Imagine scouring bookshelves, going into a library and looking for a book that has a red cover that also appeals to you Super open-ended, it's super fun and it's not going to feel like you are running a little dictatorship in your home. I've already posted what this might look like at Tea Tales and Tomes on Instagram as well as on the blog post, because sometimes a visual really does help. So please do go check it out after you've listened to this episode.
Speaker 1:Another quick and easy way to document challenges or to track the number of books is to give kids a bookmark with rectangular blocks printed on it, or actual bookshelves printed in black and white, and have them color those blocks in as they read books throughout the year or month or whatever your stipulated time frame is. I even do this for myself. It's actually just a really fun thing. All you need is some crayons or felt pens, some color pencils and here you have a bookmark, so it's really, really practical and you're busy doing something at the end, so it's a way of checking boxes, but in a really, really fun way.
Speaker 1:Lastly, about documenting it review the book, but make it fun. Documenting books you've read doesn't have to feel like homework. In fact, it really shouldn't. It really should not feel like homework. I've tried a few ways to get the kids interested in noting what they're reading, even creating their own StoryGraph or Goodreads accounts, and nothing has really taken off, except for what I'm going to mention now. It's been a real trial and error exercise for me and I truly found something that has worked so brilliantly For me. What was it? It was pairing drawing and book club with a book review. That looked different and made the kids want to finish their books, because it was really exciting to complete the review after.
Speaker 1:Again, the full details are going to be on the blog post, because this is something you have to see to fully understand, but, in a nutshell, I created different book report templates for Kai and Jas, so let me try and explain this to you. The first thing, before I explain how it works, was that, even though they may have read dozens of books, they were only reviewing eight of those. They chose the number eight. It could have been five, it could have been two Heck, it could have been one or it could have been 20, but they chose eight and it was very important that I got them to choose the number of books because it really got them to take ownership. So it was different for Kai and Jazz and I wanted to see what would work for these different age groups. So for Kai, he's eight.
Speaker 1:His book report was what I now have termed a book report envelope accordion. It wasn't my original idea. I wish I could take credit for it. It was another Instagram or Bookstagram user I think it's called Little Happy Learners, but I might be wrong and I will certainly give credit in the blog post as well as in the show notes to this episode. So it's called a Book Reports Envelope Accordion.
Speaker 1:Say what? Essentially, I took a bunch of envelopes and stuck them together at the flaps and folded them so that it looked like an accordion. So each envelope represented one book and I stuck together eight envelopes. So, like I said, even though he read dozens of books, I only wanted him to review eight. The ones that he chose were completely up to him. It's kind of hard to explain how they were stuck, so again I'm going to refer you to the Instagram post and to the blog post. And inside each of the envelopes was a folded A4 sheet which had a few questions about the book, but nothing interrogatory or too difficult. It included things like book author entitled, the genre rating, so what he felt about the book, just in terms of emojis, whether the book reminded him of anything in his real life, what he felt the main idea for the book was, and his favorite character or anything that he wants to remember from the book. Just really, really simple. The coolest part of this whole exercise was that on the outside of the envelope he could draw anything that made him think of the book the cover, a character, a scene, anything he wanted. Now why this was cool.
Speaker 1:Let me tell you something about my kid. He does not enjoy drawing. He really doesn't. In fact, he feels very insecure about it because both Keegan and I are quite good at drawing, especially my husband Keegan very are quite good at drawing, especially my husband Keegan very, very good at drawing. So he feels a little bit insecure for some reason. But when this was kind of given to him as a very open-ended thing that he could now take ownership of. It allowed him to start to see himself as the illustrator, and I also told him that we will go online and we will look at art tutorials. Our favorite is Art for Kids Hub on YouTube, which is a dad, and he will just show you, step by step, how to draw. So we use so many videos on how to draw a troll, how to draw a rocket ship.
Speaker 1:It was amazing, and at the end of it you have a product. You have a small and compact product which is filled with remarkable insight about the books, because there's a little bit of questioning, a little bit of review, thinking a little bit more deeply, but then you're also using a much more creative side when you're drawing, and having a product is something that a child really loves, so do I actually Having something that's really tangible that you can hold. He took it to school, he showed it to Ms Glock, he ended up getting a well-done badge for it, which was also amazing for him. It just really worked out, and I hope that you do go check out the blog post or the Insta Reels that I posted about it, because it was life-changing for us, for Jazz it was a little bit more different. For jazz I created a pie chart, so the pie chart had eight. Lift the flaps, so one paper stuck on another one glued only on the edges so that I could cut out the pie and fold back the flaps. Similarly to Kai, he also had to draw. We similarly used Art for Kids Hub. It was also only eight books that he chose, but with Jazz I made it a lot more flexible.
Speaker 1:It was his first time ever really reviewing and documenting books, so I wanted him to start to get the full variety of questions that could be asked how can you rate a book? Can you remember the author's name? And because he isn't yet proficient with writing, I did the writing. It took away that stress, so he had no stress. Jazz loves drawing and following the step-by-step instructions, seeing how he drew the most amazing spider for his review of Charlotte's Web, simply just following step-by-step instructions that we found on YouTube.
Speaker 1:It was fabulous, absolutely fabulous, and inside I did ask questions like what can you remember about this book? Was there any scenes that make you feel really sad? And I changed it up for different books. So if it was nonfiction, I would ask him what was your favorite animal or what don't you ever want to forget from the story. If I was talking about Charlotte's Web and I know how he reacted to Charlotte's Web when we finished reading it, he was just bawling his eyes out because it was one of those stories. If you've read Charlotte's Web, you know exactly what I'm talking about. You know. I asked him how did this book made you feel? Did any part make you sad? Did any part fill you with hope? Who was the most courageous? Did anybody feel brave? And in those questions I started to realize that wait a second he didn't know what courageous meant. So I got to also build his vocabulary through this and I can guarantee you that when Kai and Jazz go into another story, when they go into books, these are the things they're thinking about. They're thinking about if I was going to write a review, which will be the part that I want to remember they're starting to think more deeply about books simply because we undertook this book review, book documenting, book reporting during the holidays.
Speaker 1:So, in a nutshell, why this works. You're building emotional literacy. You're building critical thinking skills, communication skills. More than that, you're giving your child the message that their voice matters, that their opinions about stories and characters and endings are worth hearing, worth documenting, worth me taking time to sit with them to find a picture that they can draw. The books are more than school. They're taking away the message that books are life.
Speaker 1:So, bookish friends, I hope that I've given you a few things that seem very doable to creating a book club culture at home. I've seen it work. I've seen how amazing it can be when we take a simple story and extend it in all of these various ways. I've seen firsthand how my child went from being really insecure about drawing to thinking of himself as an amazing illustrator. Whether you are reading aloud together, trading books among your friend circle, or even recording little bookish chats on your phone for fun, know this, know that you're building something beautiful. You're building a home where books aren't just read, books are lived in. That's me for now, bookish friends. I hope to catch you again for more bookish wonder.
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